


Kicking My Heels

by pornell_fangirl



Series: A Place In Time [15]
Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M, Swearing, angry Gibbs, depressed Toby, understanding Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-22
Updated: 2013-01-22
Packaged: 2017-11-26 12:06:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/650340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pornell_fangirl/pseuds/pornell_fangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobias considers making a huge change after a devastating day and Gibbs finally gets angry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kicking My Heels

They were three quarters of the way through the bottle of bourbon when Tony poked his head round the basement door.

"Hey guys, I'm heading up to bed now."

Tobias looked up at him from where he was slumped on the bottom step, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

"Shit, sorry Tony. I didn't realise it was so late. I'll call a cab."

Tony snorted and rolled his eyes.

"No. You'll stay and finish your conversation. Jethro's still sanding so I can tell you.haven't got to the good stuff yet. I've fixed up the couch anyway."

Turning to his lover, he flashed him an understanding smile.

"I'll probably be asleep when you come up but feel free to wake me if you want."

With a final cheeky wink, he left the older men alone.

Shaking his head, Tobias stood to refill the mugs they were drinking from.

"You got a good one there, Jethro. Don't fuck it up!"

Realising that this was the opening he was waiting for, Gibbs stopped his task and turned to lean on his workbench, accepting the offered mug.

"So, you gonna tell me what's going on now? Cos I know all this isn't just about Diane. Sure you loved her, we both did in our own ways but you knew this was coming."

Sighing deeply, Tobias ran a hand over his face as he sank back down in his spot on the stairs.

"I had a visitor last night."

Just as it seemed Gibbs was going to have to prod something more from the man, he looked up, an expression of sheer despair in his eyes.

"He asked her to marry him. Wanted to tell me himself before I found out from somebody else."

Furrowing his brow as he met his friend's eye, sudden understanding hit Gibbs and his heart ached for what he knew he must be going through.

The timing sucked on top of Diane's new marriage, but it's not like Jimmy could've known about that. He hadn't exactly been forthcoming himself when the invitation had appeared at the office.

Of course he'd surprised the hell out of his own lover when he'd sent him an inter-office email, telling him what was in the envelope but he hadn't been at all.surprised in return when Tony had played the part of nosey infant, knowing it was expected of him.

Partly, he expected Tony would've told Jimmy all about it, that was after all the kind of thing the two young men loved gossiping about, but evidently he was wrong. He knew Jimmy was certainly not the type to rub salt into an already bleeding wound, especially not where Tobias was concerned.

He was pulled out of his musings by Tobias' wavering voice.

"I've been offered a promotion."

Raising an eyebrow, Gibbs dconsidered the statement.

"The next step up for you would be Assistant Director, right? That's great, Tobias! You were always so much better at that political crap than I was."

"It's in London, Jethro. Frank Jones is the AD there and word has it, he's gotten sick. Wants to come home. They offered me his place."

Swallowing down his bourbon, Gibbs refilled his mug and his friend's, trying to think for once before speaking.

"You won't take it, Tobias. You would never be happy so far away from the action. Not to mention Emily. You couldn't leave her."

Tobias' head hung dejectedly.

"Maybe not, Jethro. But right now I'm not so sure I can stay either."

Gibbs tried, he really did, but he couldn't hold back the outburst any longer. The smack round the back of the head took Tobias by surprise.

"Goddamn it, Tobias! You can't run away from your life, from your DAUGHTER just because Jimmy's moved on!"

"No! You Goddamn it, Jethro!" Tobias yelled back. "You have no idea how hard it is! You don't know what it's like to know that the person you love most in the world is so close but still so far away you can never reach them. It's killing me, Jethro! While I'm in Washington, they're gonna keep using me as the FBI's liaison to you guys and I'm always gonna be near him. Leaving would be hard, but staying..." his voice dropped off to a whisper. "Staying will kill me!"

Gritting his teeth to desperately keep his temper in check, Gibbs looked GIS friend dead in the eye.

"Give it a week, Tobias. For Emily's sake. One week to think about it before you do something you regret."

"Fine," Tobias sulked. "One week. But, Jethro... I'm not promising anything."


End file.
